I mentioned Monday's detour that the comic would be posted today, but turns out I need to help out my family this week-so it will update on Friday. Sorry about the delay, and thanks for your patience!

For those curious about the cosplay totals so far on the FE Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FurryExperience), here is how they're currently ranked by their total likes/shares:

Raven Ronnie - 24
Storm Dawn - 22
Cardcaptor Cat - 20
Adventure Time Vikki - 15

Your favorite not winning? There's still time! The cosplay with the most likes/shares by midnight, May 4th (MST) will be make into a free desktop wallpaper. Also remember, if this page reached 500 followers by that deadline, All the cosplay images will be made into free wallpapers.

Thanks to everyone's support in helping spread the word about FCBD ~ hope everyone's excited for May 4th!

For those following updates of the FCBD Requests Livestream on DA/FA, it will be starting April 20th (tomorrow) at 4pm (Mountain Standard Time) at this link: http://www.livestream.com/ellennatalie

I don’t have an exact schedule of how long it will go, but I’m planning on at least a few hours. For those who haven’t been following, I’m hosting a Free Requests Livestream tomorrow to get some practice in for handing out free sketches at Orem’s Dragon’s Keep store on May 4th. (I’m also hoping to make up for the Requests Livestream that never happened last year due to technical difficulties.)

If you wish to participate, do NOT post your request in the comments or send me notes-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat. To avoid spamming in the chat, post your link only ONCE in the chat unless asked otherwise. After each sketch, new links that have been posted (if there are any) will be added to those already collected, and the character to sketch will be chosen by singing lottery. I apologize in advance for this, but it seemed to be the only fair way.

Participants can have more than one request, but to ensure everyone has a fair chance of getting a sketch only one request can be submitted to the lottery at a time. Only after your request has won a lottery may you submit a new link for the next lottery.

As it’s been stated earlier, when selecting an image to present for the lottery keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters will be accepted. (Since I’ll probably get requests for them at the event-gotta practice!) After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites.

I’m testing the equipment/setups tonight to make sure everything runs smoothly, so I apologize if anyone catches weird camera angles. See you guys tomorrow!

Looks like the calender and weather are finally in agreement-it’s springtime! Time to flex my drawing muscles and get to work~

Last month I announced about being invited to be at guest at the Dragon’s Keep Comic/Game shop in Orem, UT for Free Comic Book Day on May 4th. Stop by to pick up free comics from the shop and a free sketch drawn by me!

Can’t make it that day? No worries! I’ll be preparing for FCBD sketches by doing a requests livestream on April 20th. To find out who actually reads these announcements, do NOT post requests in the comments or send me a note-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat, where requests will be chosen by lottery. As you’re selecting an image to present for the lottery, keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters will be accepted. (Since I’ll probably get requests for them at the event-gotta practice!) After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites. Details of the time will be announced as the 20th gets closer.

Can’t make FCBD or the livestream? You still have no reason to worry! Each Wednesday on the FE Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/FurryExperience) I’m counting down the days to the event by posting an image of an FE character cosplaying as a comic book character. Be sure to ‘like’ and ‘share’ your favorite costumes and/or characters, because the costumed character with the highest total of shares and likes as of Midnight on May 6th (MST) will be made into a desktop wallpaper, free to download!

So that’s a free art livestream, free art on Free Comic Book Day, AND free art to be able to download for a wallpaper. Who else is looking forward to the next month?

It's Springtime! I don't think I've ever been more excited about warm sunshine greeting me in the morning. And there's plenty to get excited about for Furry Experience, as well. For starters, after a long winter of writing it's time to start drawing a new Side Story! For those not aware, Side Stories are additional, stand-alone FE stories available to purchase in print or on the website. While last year's story (Brian's Big Date) was kept a surprise, this year I'll be posting in-progress artwork and notes on the FE forums as the Side Story is worked on. And what will the next Side Story be? You get to choose! A poll is up on the forums ( http://furryexperience.forumotion.com/t351-which-new-side-story-is-next ) to decide which of the Side Stories written this winter will be made first.

Speaking of voting, I owe a sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate FE for the Ursa Major Awards. ( http://www.ursamajorawards.org/ ) I'm always amazed and in awe at how supportive fans of FE are. Unfortunately, FE did not get enough nominations to make the final five. But there's always next year, and in the meantime there's still several great Anthro-themed works that can be reviewed and voted on-check them out!

Another great thing happening in the Spring is Free Comic Book Day, on May 4th! Don't know what FCBD is? Basically, participating comic stores give away free comics. Awesome, right? What's better than free comics? Free comics, AND free art! This year, my local comic/game store has invited me as a guest artist to help celebrate. Anyone who comes down to the Dragon's Keep in Orem to pick up free comics can also pick up a free sketch by yours truly! (For as long as my supplies will last me-I'll try to stock up. ) I'll post updates with more details as I get them, but in the meantime here's the main website to learn more about FCBD: http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Home/1/1/27/992

As part of preparation for this event, I need practice sketching/experimenting with the materials I'll be able to bring. To help with this, I'll be hosting a request-oriented livestream in April. (You know, the one I've been promising for months ^^; ) More details about this livestream, and how to submit requests for it will be posted at the start of April.

So as you can see, there's lots to be excited about! Thanks again to everyone to takes the time to send kind notes, share FE with their friends, and even just taking a few minutes to read the updates each week. Like I've said many times before, FE has the best fans! You guys are awesome, and have earned a great spring season!

In case you have trouble finding the hover text, these Valentines have been uploaded for free to use as thanks for your support of FE~It's recommended they're printed on cardstock or heavy copy paper. Cut along the dotted lines, and share with the special people in your life!

It's a New Year! I've been getting excited writing this year's script for Furry Experience. It's full of new faces and places I've been looking forward to since day one. (We're FINALLY getting to the pirates this year! YES!) I hope everyone enjoys what's to come!

There's other fantastic things happening as well-FE has been added to the 'Recommended' list of the Ursa Major Awards, and in the running to be nominated for Best Graphic Story. Now, FE's been recommended before, and I'm always thrilled when it is. But 2012 was such a big year for FE, growing in audience size, character development, and artistic skills-I'm really hoping FE has the honor of being nominated. If you'd like to nominate FE, or just check out all the amazing Anthro work created in the last year, here's a link to their website:

http://www.ursamajorawards.org/nominations/

There's also another voting competition going on, but this time the winner is you! To help design some free Valentines for next month, the FE Forums is hosting a poll for characters you'd like featured for February 14th: http://furryexperience.forumotion.com/t339-prepping-for-feb-14th

I mentioned earlier about growth in artistic skills-while I'm always striving to put out the best work I can for FE, comparing my best from three years ago to today is quite a difference. While it's fantastic the FE comics are getting better, it means other parts of FE will also need to be updated. You may have already noticed the website banner updated, but also keep your eyes open for new character images, link-back banners, and Facebook pics. And if I accidentally crash something while updating these images, I sincerely apologize.

I always say it and I always mean it, Furry Experience has AWESOME fans! Thanks for supporting FE, and here's to an AMAZING new year!

I mentioned earlier that I was planning on doing a livestream at the end of the month-and that will be this Thursday, September 27th, at 7 p.m. MDT (Mountain Daylight Time.) Private test streams have been successful, hopefully this stream will be, too!